With This Ring
by stargazer 1017
Summary: [PRWF] Future Fic--Alyssa/Cole fluff basically ;)


Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Wild Force or any PR characters. . .  
  
Summary: Takes place in PRWF future. Really short fanfic! Serves just as a Cole/Alyssa fluff, sappy story for all you romance lovers. Slightly angsty, but ends up happy. I promise!  
  
Spoilers: None really. Some of the events I'll describe in here will be totally fiction and this fic doesn't place in with my other fic, "To Have the Courage."  
  
With This Ring  
By: stargazer_1017  
  
  
Alyssa walked down the streets of Turtle Cove in the early evening. She smiled at people as she passed by and gazed at the shops along the street. She shivered as the cold air hit her skin.

"Hey Alyssa!" a woman's voice called in the air. Alyssa turned around to see her classmate from Turtle Cove University approach her. "Kara, hi!" Alyssa greeted her friend.

"A bunch of guys are going to party at the Galaxia club. Wanna join us?" Kara, a short blonde-haired girl asked when she approached Alyssa. Alyssa shook her head and they walked down the street together. "Not tonight, thanks."

"Why not? We had fun the last time. . .and besides, I bet you'd pick up another guy."

Alyssa groaned and rolled her eyes. "Hey, didn't I tell you never to remind me of him?" she joked.

Kara laughed. "Okay, so it didn't go so well. As they say, there are lots of fishes in the sea," she said lightly. Then she turned to look at Alyssa. "Or are you still waiting for that Cole guy?"

Alyssa almost stopped in her tracks at the mention of his name. Cole. . .it was almost five years since she had seen him. Her former boyfriend was the best thing that happened to her. 

*flashback*

It was a beautiful evening and Alyssa and Cole spent the night gazing overlooking the water at the docks. "It's almost the end, isn't it?" Alyssa asked Cole, referring to the war against the Orgs. 

Cole nodded. "It seems. I hope it'll come soon. That way, we'll just be at peace and live life the way we're supposed to."

Alyssa turned to her boyfriend. "And we'll get to spend more time together," she remarked, gently holding onto his arm. Cole smiled at her and then pulled away from her. When Alyssa looked at him uncertainly, Cole put his hand behind his back. "Cole--" Alyssa started but Cole silence her.

He pulled out a ring from behind his back. Alyssa's eyes widened as he took her right hand and slipped the ring on her finger. She stared at the ring and then looked back up at Cole. "Cole, is this ring. . .what does it mean?" she asked. 

Cole was still smiling. "It's just. . .something I wanted to give you. To show you how much I care--how much I love you," he replied. 

Alyssa felt her heart soar as she smiled and gave him a kiss. No words were needed to describe what she wanted him to know.

*end flashback*

But things always had to change. Fate always had to test her and somehow, she and Cole ended up going seperate ways.

*flashback*

"Why don't you come with me?" Cole asked Alyssa. They were sitting in the Animarium late at night, gazing at the scenery lit by the moonlight, which was shining brightly.

Alyssa looked down. She wanted to follow Cole anywhere he would go, but she felt it wasn't her place. "Cole, you just found your parents. You. . .deserve your chance at getting to know them again." She looked at him and saw he was frowning slightly. He was mirorring what she had felt inside. But this is the right thing to do, Alyssa thought sadly. She couldn't let him feel bad about it and she gave him a smile of encouragement. 

"But. . .what about us?" Cole asked uncertainly. He didn't want to lose her. Not now, not ever.

Alyssa stared at him and didn't reply. Then she realized she was fingering something on her hand--the ring that Cole had given her. It seemed like forever since that night happened. She held her right hand up and slowly took off the ring. Concern flashed on Cole's face for a moment, but Alyssa flashed another smile at him. "Here," she said, opening his hand. She placed the ring slowly in his hand and held his hand with both of hers.

"We'll always be together, right? And when you come back to me, put this ring onto my left hand," Alyssa replied quietly, looking at the ring still in Cole's hand. She closed Cole's hand and looked back up at him. He still had a slightly pained expression on his face, but when he saw the look in Alyssa's eyes, he felt comfort in them and smiled back at her.

*end flashback*

"Alyssa? Yo, are you listening to me?"

Alyssa snapped back to the real world and turned to her friend. Kara rolled her eyes. "Yep, you're still thinking about that guy," she rolled her eyes. Giving her friend a pat on the shoulder, Kara nodded towards the opposite direction. "Listen, take care of yourelf, okay? And I'll see you in class on Monday." When Alyssa nodded, they said goodnight and Alyssa walked back towards her apartment.

She opened the door and put her backpack down on the nearest seat. While getting a glass of water from the kitchen, the phone rang. Alyssa took a last gulp of water and ran to get the phone. "Hello?"

"Alyssa? Hey! It's great to hear your voice again."

"Taylor? How are you doing?" Alyssa asked. She smiled as she took a seat , ready to chat with her best friend.

"I'm good! It feels just like old times."

After the Orgs have been defeated, all rangers went their seperate ways. Max, seeing the relationship Cole had with his parents, decided that he would give his parents a second try and he headed back home. Danny was offered a job to work with orphans at a home in the nearby city. Cole, of course, had gone to be with his parents to get to know them even better. Taylor had decided to return back to the Air Force.

"I haven't heard from you in forever," Alyssa remarked. "So is the Air Force really the same as it was before you left?"

"Well, some things are different, but almost everything else is the same," Taylor replied. "I'm still showing those rookies how to handle the skies." Alyssa laughed at the comment. It sounded like Taylor. "What about you? How have graduate studies been?" Taylor asked. 

"It's been great," Alyssa replied. She had decided to stay in Turtle Cove to move on to graduate studies. She decided to get a masters in biologoical engineering. "Still a long ways to go, so I'm going to be here for awhile."

"Sounds good," Taylor said. "Hey, have you checked on anyone? I mean, Max, Danny, Princess Shayla, Cole. . ."

Alyssa shook her head. "No, I haven't heard from anyone yet," she said. Especially Cole, she thought to herself. Could he have forgotten her promise to him? Did he find someone else to be with on his journey? 

"Oh. Listen, I'll be in town next week. Is it okay if I come and visit you?"

Alyssa brightened. "Yeah! That would be great. How long are you staying?"

"I've got a couple of days leave."

"Great! We could go to the Animarium and stay there just like old times," Alyssa said. "What do you say?"

"I like it. I'll see you in a couple of days then, Alyssa."

"All right, Taylor. I'll talk to you later."

They hung up and Alyssa put her chin in her hand, thinking. It had almost been forever since she had talked to any of her former teammates. Then she thought about Cole again. She still hadn't heard from him since he left.

"_And when you come back to me, put this ring onto my left hand_."

Alyssa groaned and shook her head, trying to shake her thoughts. She missed Cole. . .whether she liked to admit it or not. Trying to clear her head, Alyssa got up to make dinner. After a small meal and watching some tv, she glanced at the clock. It was almost 11:30. Alyssa shut of the tv and got into bed. After tossing and turning for thirty minutes, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. So she got up and went walking.

Somehow, she knew she would end up visiting the Animarium. It was still there, standing lonesome in the sky. The Rangers knew that even with them gone, all the Power Animals would still guard the kingdom and Princess Shayla, if a threat was ever to appear. 

Alyssa walked around the forest, looking around, feeling its familiarity. She looked and saw the moonlight reflecting off the scenery below, making the river look like liquid silver flowing through the forest.

"Alyssa, is that you?"

Alyssa jumped at the voice and spun around. There stood Princess Shayla, clasping her hands together and giving the former White Wild Force Ranger a smile. Alyssa grinned and ran over to give her once-mentor a tight hug. "Princess! How have you been?"

Princess Shayla smiled. "I've been good, Alyssa. My, it's been months since you've come back here, hasn't it? And how are you?" 

Alyssa nodded slowly. "I've been doing all right," she replied. Princess Shayla nodded back and asked, "What are you doing here? Is there something wrong?"

Alyssa bit her lip. The last time she came here, she wasn't able to sleep again. Somehow, she had ended up thinking about Cole and couldn't shake him out of her mind. Just like tonight. "I--couldn't sleep again," she replied quietly.

Princess Shayla nodded sympathetically. Then her eyes brightened with an idea. "Why don't you head towards the overlook? The moonlight shines so beautifully on the valley below, I'm sure it'll calm your thoughts."

Alyssa nodded, taking this into consideration. Then confusion shone on her face. "Wait a minute, what were you doing out here, Princess?"

A weird expression came onto Princess Shayla's face. "I was just. . .taking a stroll," she replied awkwardly. Taking a walk? Alyssa thought inwardly. That's weird. 

She has a right to take a walk whenever she wants, Alyssa concluded, shaking off the uncertainty. "Okay, I'll just head down to the overlook then," she said, giving the Princess a smile. "Oh yeah! Taylor said she'll be taking a vacation and is it all right if we stay here for a couple of days?" Alyssa asked.

Princess Shayla smiled. "Of course it is, Alyssa. I'd be happy to have more company on Animarium again."

Something about how Princess Shayla said the sentence stuck out in Alyssa's mind, but she shook it out of her thoughts again. "Okay, I'll see you later then, Princess. Good night."

"Good night, Alyssa."

Alyssa went on her way and walked slowly through the forest, enjoying its serenity. When she almost reached the clearing, she heard a noise. Probably just an animal running around and shrugged. Then she heard another sound. Frowning, she said aloud, "Hey, who's there?"

There was a slight noise again. Alyssa tensed up, ready to fight if she had to. "Show yourself," she said louder, quickly looking around to see if anyone or anything would jump her.

Then something jumped behind her. She spun around and stanced, ready. "Alyssa?" the person asked.

"Cole!" Alyssa was stunned. "What are you--" before she could complete the sentence, Cole had engulfed her in a large hug. "I'm so glad to see you," he replied huskily.

Alyssa closed her eyes, relishing the feel of his hug and warmth. "I'm so glad to see you too, Cole."

Cole pulled away. "Where were you?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I went looking for you," he replied. He gave her a crooked smile. "But then again, you were the one who found my parents for me, so I guess I wasn't the best person to go searching for you."

Alyssa felt her eyes well up with tears. So that was it. . .maybe he was coming back to tell her that he was going to stay away from here forever. Cole's smile dropped. "Hey, what's the matter?"

Alyssa cursed herself inwardly for letting the teardrop fall. . .and then letting her lip quiver. "So. . .you're going to stay with your parents?" she asked quietly. Cole opened his mouth to reply, but Alyssa spoke before he could. "You're not actually staying, aren't you?"

She turned around to leave, before she would cry her heart out, but before she could move, Cole reached for her hand. "Alyssa. Alyssa, look at me."

Alyssa turned back slowly, to look at him.

"I went with my parents and not only did I learn about them, I learned about myself," Cole revealed. "For five years, I've spent my time with them, learning life. But I came back for you." Alyssa's eyes brightened slightly at this. "You know why?"

Alyssa shook her head slowly. Cole smiled gently at her. "Because you taught me about love. You're the one I want to be with," he whispered to her. Alyssa felt her heart well up with love for the man who was standing in front of him. She immediately embraced him in a huge hug, feeling as though if she let him go, he would never come back.

Then Cole pulled away from her. Alyssa frowned slightly and watched as Cole reached for a chain around his neck. When Alyssa saw a circular object on the chain, she smiled. He pulled out the ring she had given back to him five years ago. He kept had the ring close to his heart, she realized. Taking her left hand, he slipped the ring on her ring finger. "Alyssa will you marry me?"

Alyssa looked at the ring on her finger and back at Cole, the same guesture she had done the first time he had given the ring to her. As tears of happiness welled up in her eyes, she nodded and smiled through her tears. "Yes. . .yes, Cole, I will marry you."

A huge grin burst on Cole's face as he enveloped her in a huge hug and carried her, twirling her in the air. Alyssa laughed gleefully. She had never felt so happy in her life. When Cole placed her back on the ground and pulled her in for a kiss, Alyssa knew that this was forever.

**_Forever._**

*The End*  
  
Author's Note: Liked the sappy fic? I saw the idea of the ring, where the girl gives the guy the ring and tells him to put the ring back on her finger when he came back in another show. Kind of an old show, but I thought it would be great to write as a fic. Hope you liked it. For some reason, people seem to like the Cole/Alyssa relationship. I do too =)  
I don't know if I should do a wedding fic. Think I should? Maybe when another idea comes to mind, I'll make one. I have a comedic one in mind. . .Oh, and expect another Cole/Alyssa fic soon. Please remember to R&R and leave your e-mail address!


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